Crossroads
by appunehears
Summary: Just when you think he turned around to say he loved you, he runs back to someone else. -poor summary. first fanfic! enjoy! ON HIATUS!
1. the beginning

**Prologue **

_Thunderstruck. The rain clashed against the glass windows, singing sharp melodies. My body froze along the soaked wooden floors. My legs aches in pain as I heard a baby wail out in surprise. My son, I thought. Despite my surroundings, I felt refreshed and alive unlike my boarish name, Ino. I gave birth to not one, not two but three baby boys, triplets. They had my bright blue eyes, but inherited their father's spikey dark hair. Sadly they will never know their father. The wonderful man I love, but who did not love me back._

_The wonderful and ever so lazy, Shikamaru._

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_**Chapter One**

_thoughts, _text,** break**

It was a typical day like any other. The sun radiated across the Konoha's sky. A light summer breeze flowed along the trees. Townspeople galloped along the day. Women rested in nearby teahouses discussing gossips of the lords and servants affairs. Children ran along the park, unattended I may say and the elderly sat in a group among themselves, watching the energetic brats running about.

I sat quietly by on the hill, watching the lively town. At last, I see a figure approaching. Shikamaru, my childhood friend, my unrequited love. A simple 'hey' or 'how you doing?' makes me melt inside and especially his 'troublesome' sparks happiness inside my mind, though I only show annoyance in return.

"This is so troublesome. What did you want to see me for anyways?" huffed Shikamaru. His smoking nowadays have been taken to an extreme.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to hangout. Choji should be here soon." _Well if I told him about today._

"Damn it Ino. I know you want it to be like old times, but I'm just really busy especially now with Temari too. I have a date with her tonight."

Ever since the end of the chunnin exams, the both of them have been hitting off pretty well especially since the Rokudiame sends Shikamaru over to Suna for diplomatic "stuff". =A="

"Oh really? What'd you plan for tonight?" Though I already knew he planned a date tonight, I just wanted sometime for myself.

"Erm, I think I'm going to ask her to marry me."

"Oh wow…wait what? MARRY YOU?" My heart sank. _Does he love her that much? That's just not fair, I'll lose him forever._

"Yep." He replied as he slowly laid across the grass. "We've known each other for long enough to spend the rest of our lives together. Also, she's the perfect match."

"So you THINK that you're gonna marry her because you think that you're she the perfect match? So spontaneously your just gonna say 'hey lets get married? Shikamaru, you need to realize that this moment is the most life changing thing in a guy's AND girl's life. YOU JUST…"

"And so the ranting begins. How troublesome."

"WHAT? Well you know what!"

"You know, I'm just about to go. I have to get ready. I can't be late" Shikamaru lazily got off the grass and began walking away. Walking away from me. I couldn't even bring myself to wave goodbye. All I could do was sulk and stare at the ground.

"Oi!" he called out. "This wasn't spontaneous. I had the ring for a while now… just to let you know." And with that he left.

...

TBC [NOT QUITE FINISHED YET]


	2. news

News of Shikamaru and Temari's engagement spread like wildfire and its only been a week. Everyone who was someone in Konoha and Suna knew about the announced couple. If you didn't well that's like a hermit under a rock.

"Ino. Ino… INO-PIG!"

"Huh what?" I said.

"Hey Ino-chan are you alright? You completely ignored a patient. Maybe you should take day off." Advised Sakura. Sakura, now my best friend, was working her way to own her very own hospital. After all she is the Tsunade's apprentice. But like me, our love lives didn't lead towards a very bright. Sasuke still did not accept her love…yet. I know that boy will cave soon._ Soon. _

"No no. I'm fine. I'm just peachy fine! I mean c'mon! It not like your best guy friend is engaged to some other woman from a freakin desert and though he is a genius he is completely oblivious to the fact how much you love him!" I yelled out. I couldn't keep it bottled up any longer.

"Ino~, is this about Shikamaru?"

"No its about some other idiot in a trash can. Of course, its Shika-kun forehead! Who else!"

"Ahaha my bad. So my guess is you didn't tell him?"

"No. But remember keep this a secret. You're the only one who knows. I don't want to jeopardize our friendship if he finds out."

"Don't worry I won't tell a soul. But Ino-pig, maybe taking that risk maybe worth it. Who knows, maybe he secretly likes you back?"

"Ha secretly likes me, but is now engage to Temari?"

"Hey hey don't forget. Unrequited love for lazy genius, yet throws herself at the ever-so infamous Uchiha."

"Pshh. Oh Shut. Up. Sakura."

"Teehee, just helping you out on the road of life."

"Seriously, you have to spend less time with Kakashi sensei."

"For once, I agree with you."

At with that, we both continued on our day at the hospital, working our shift and gossiping about our lives.

* * *

It wasn't until I reached Shikarmaru's cloudwatching spot did I actually notice the lazy genius was there.

"Oi Shika-kun!" I called out, but no response.

While waving my hands in the air I continues to call out "Shika-kun! Shikarmaru! Nara Boy! LAZY ASS! YOU STUPID BUTT!"

_Does he actually think he can ignore me?_ _that's IT!_

Just when I readied myself to pound him in the face, I saw tears. Nara Shikamaru had little drops of tears leaking out of his closed eyelids.


	3. solution part 1

**Sorry for such the late update! I've started another story so when that's ready go check it out! ;D**

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"Oi Shikamaru, what happened? Are you alright?" I managed to ask. I've never seen him shed a tear in his life. No matter what the circumstances, he always hid his flows of tears away from the team. The only person who's ever seen him cry was …Temari.

"Ah Ino, you're here? I didn't even hear you." He tried to sound surprise, but I heard the trembling in his voice.

"Don't hide it. What's wrong with you?"

There he laid, chin up and eyes gazing at the cloud. "Take a seat."

So I complied and scrunched up next to his laying body. The cool grass swept across my skin and the clouds floated along the blue sky. Silence overtook the scenery. It would have been perfect if only Shika-kun wasn't sulking.

"Today, I met up with Temari." His sudden interruption startled me. "I had everything planned out. Would you believe that? I actually got off my lazy ass and took the effort to set up everything and make sure that absolutely every detail was perfect!" And he didn't bother to hide his irritation. "And you know what, just when I showed her the ring she dumped me."

"Wha-what? I'm so sorry Shikamaru." Though truthfully inside I was screaming with joy. How sickening of me huh? While my best friend is wallowing away in his heartbreak I have the guts to sit here and hide my delight.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. I mean why would she want to marry me? Its not like I'm worth much anyways. For god sake…"

And right there I slapped him.

"Nara Shikamaru, you are out of your mind! You're Konoha's greatest strategist! You're a freaking genius. You managed to be the only one of us to pass the chunnin exams on your first try and don't forget if you weren't so lazy then you would've have smoked Temari during your preliminary rounds."

"Gyah why did you just bring her up?"

"Ah.. sorry, I forgot."

"That's it."

"What?"

"Forget."

"What?" I tried to comprehend what he was saying, but I had no idea.

"I want to forget her Ino. That's all I need do." Silence again.

Ever since that day we rarely spoke. Well we rarely saw each other since Shikamaru began to take on more and more missions. Not only did he stop his laidback attitude, but when he was off-missions he ran around town asking for busy work and what not. Everyday he drowned himself in piles and piles of work. Heck he even considered training As weeks and weeks passed on, he smoked more and more, ate less and less due to the fact that he had constant missions right after the other. If he didn't stop soon it would be the end of him.


End file.
